In the Absence of Cake
by hilandncr
Summary: The day had started out rather promising, but Samantha Carter could now say as she prepared for bed—alone—that this had been the worst birthday she had ever had. There wasn't even any cake! Does Jack have a secret plan to turn things around? S/J est.


**Disclaimer:** None of the characters are mine; I just enjoy playing with them. No remuneration of any kind has been exchanged in relation to this work of fiction. All rights are retained by the legal owners of the Stargate franchise, its subsidiaries, licensees and assigns.

**Set:** Post-season 10. S/J established (always).

**Note:** This is something of a sequel to **Of Having and Eating Cake**; although they can both be read as stand alone stories. The first was written as a quick and fluffy ficlet for Jack's birthday in October. Someone suggested I should also write something for Sam's birthday. I started considering it, but I just couldn't decide what Jack might get Sam for her birthday—other than cake—but when this idea came to me I knew Sam had her own birthday story to tell.

Although there is some discrepancy about Sam's actual birthday I have chosen the more specific date of December 29, 1968 from Entity over the vague reference to sometime in May from Ascension. (Besides, I don't like Orlin; I think he's creepy.) If that bothers you, pretend it's May.

**In the Absence of Cake**

The day had started out rather promising, but Colonel Samantha Carter could now say as she prepared for bed—alone—that this had been the worst birthday she had ever had. There wasn't even any cake!

Sam gently patted the scratchy cream colored hand towel against her face a few times as she completed her evening ablutions and vaguely noted that Jack likely forgot to include fabric softener in the laundry again. She replaced the towel in the silver ring to her right and placing both hands wide apart on the granite counter leaned into the bathroom mirror as the warm water continued to gush softly out the tap and down the drain. She was dressed in a light pink tank top with a little lace across the chest that blended in with the rosiness of her fair skin and made the smattering of freckles on her arms and shoulders stand out. A loose pair of drawstring pajama pants in some soft, flannel-esque material—white with thin vertical stripes in a multitude of muted shades—hung from her rounded hips and down her long legs. Think grey socks covered her often too cold feet.

Sam stared intently at the face reflected in the mirror. Her long blond hair was pulled back and secured with a large brown hair clip, and a mostly white cloth headband held any remaining lochs away from her face as she worked to hold back the evidence of time. Sam was not a vain woman. She rarely spent more than a few minutes before the mirror morning or night. But closer scrutiny seemed to be called for this evening.

She wondered if time really was catching up with her. At 42, she could see that her skin no longer held the luster of a young woman. Her cheeks were fuller and there was a little more roundness under the chin as well. Fortunately the light color of her hair hid any grey that might be interlaced with the flaxen strands. She ran her fingers over the crow's feet that radiated out from corners of her eyes and tried to smooth the delicate crease etched into her forehead. She sighed and pounded on the handle of the faucet turning off the still running water and reached for some moisturizing cream. She began her attack upon the wrinkles. She was a warrior after all and she would continue to fight even in the face of eminent defeat or deepening laugh lines.

Sam wondered whether Jack had begun to notice that she was not as young as she used to be. He rarely said it in words, but the way he looked at her and touched her, with such tenderness and even awe, had always assured her that in his eyes she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy—and he had been around it a few times. But she had seen little evidence of his usual ardor since arriving home earlier that evening. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe all the time apart was taking a toll on their marriage. Maybe he was tired of having a wife who was always zooming back and forth across the galaxy and looking a little more haggard and worn every time she did manage to come home to him for a few days before charging off again.

She sighed deeply as she stared into the mirror again and thought back on the events of this hideous day.

o-O-o

The Hammond had just arrived back in the neighborhood of earth after a three week mission delivering humanitarian aid to several planets in targeted regions of the galaxy. It was a part of a plan to hold back the influence of the Lucian Alliance, which had been steadily consolidating power within the vacuum left from the defeat of the goa'uld and later the Ori. Reducing the number of hungry and desperate people in the galaxy seemed like the best way to curb the influence of the radical and unsavory elements festering in and around the collapsing galactic power structure. Further it helped sow goodwill toward earth and her allies by demonstrating a willingness to take responsibility for a situation that was largely of their own making.

To some degree this plan seemed to be working. More recently earth was being looked upon with increased favor and the Lucian Alliance was struggling to maintain territory and hold recruits. They hadn't had as much time or opportunity to cause trouble lately, which was a relief. A good portion of the credit for this plan and its positive results was being given to Lt. General Jack O'Neill, but Sam knew that the compassionate archeologist and their dear friend, Dr. Daniel Jackson, was probably the man behind the curtain on this one. She was sure he had proposed the initial outline of the plan to Jack and pushed hard for its implementation.

In any case, the last month had been a busy and satisfying time for Sam and her crew, as they completed another successful aid mission. The Hammond was now scheduled to remain in the vicinity of earth for a couple of weeks to resupply and for the ship to undergo some necessary maintenance and repairs.

Because all was going smoothly Sam made a last minute decision to use some of her accumulated leave and spend her birthday at home with Jack. She didn't want to admit, but couldn't completely hide, how eager she was to be with her husband as she contacted Homeworld Command to inform Jack of her plans. She was disappointed not to speak with him directly, but she left a message with Walter that she was sure would be delivered to him promptly. She smiled when she thought of how Jack might react to the news that his wife would be home in time for dinner and hopefully other enjoyable activities that evening.

When the transport beam set Sam down in the middle of the living room of the home she shared with Jack in the northern Virginia suburbs whenever she was on earth, she placed her travel case down on the hardwood floor and went immediately in search of her husband. She could hear his voice drifting from the slightly ajar door of the study at the end of the hall. As she gently pushed on the door it swung open to reveal Jack sitting at the desk, leaning into the phone and obviously irritated.

"There has to be some way to work this out tonight, for crying out loud." Jack barked out in exasperation running a hand through his already tussled silver hair. After listening for a moment to the reply on the other end he responded, "Just get back to me as soon as you get word. I'll check in again if I don't hear from you within the hour."

Replacing the phone in its cradle with perhaps a little more force than necessary, he looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway. "Hey," he said simply as his eyes roamed up and down her slim frame, as if ascertaining that she was all there and in good order.

Sam moved away from the entry and came around the desk. Placing one leg on the side of the chair and leaning over to cup his cheek with her hand she placed her mouth against his and kissed him soundly.

"Hi," she replied with a smile as she finished. When he made no move to greet her further she added, "Walter did inform you I was coming home tonight?"

"He did," Jack stated with aplomb.

"So," Sam added a touch of teasing to her voice, "What's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Ah . . . yes . . . that." His tone made Sam stand up and turn to fully face him as she leaned against the desk and gripped the edge behind her.

"So you see," Jack continued, "I have this reception thing I have to go to and I can't really get out of it. You don't have to go if you don't want to," he quickly added. "But if you do want to come with, I'll call Walter and make sure we can get you in."

To say Sam was not pleased would be accurate if not entirely precise. This certainly wasn't how she had hoped to spend her birthday with Jack. But she had been the one to change plans on him; so it was only fair that she try and be flexible. She considered the bright side. Jack hated these Washington social events and always did his best to get in and out as quickly as possible. And it would give her a chance to dress up, which she rarely did these days. Maybe Jack would appreciate seeing her in something other than her flight suit or nothing at all. Of course, Jack had always preferred her birthday suit to any other outfit she owned. That little pun brought a quirk of a smile to her face, which caused Jack to react with a questioning turn of his head and raise of his eyebrows.

"Sure," she responded cheerfully.

"OK," Jack returned with some confusion. "I'll just . . . ." He gestured toward the phone.

It seemed she was dismissed. Sam held back a small huff of irritation as she retreated to their bedroom to find something to wear. She wondered as she plowed through the mostly unused clothes in her side of the closet if Jack had actually wanted her to turn down the invitation to join him. And it wasn't until she pulled out a black evening gown she thought might work that she realized he hadn't said anything at all about her birthday.

She wasn't going to let his apparent thoughtlessness get to her. He was clearly distracted by something important that had evidently gone wrong she told herself. He would get things straightened out with whatever it was; they would make an appearance at this party; and then they would come home, and she would enjoy the rest of her birthday, hopefully in bed with her husband. That thought brought a wisp of a smile to her face as she began to change.

o-O-o

Looking in the mirror Sam was having second thoughts about the gown she had chosen. It had been sometime since she had worn it last and she didn't remember it fitting this snuggly. It pulled a little around her hips and certainly enhanced the area around her chest; although Jack probably wouldn't mind that so much. Since she didn't have any better alternative she reached for a simple pair of silver earrings and began to attach them as Jack walked into the room.

When he stopped to gaze at her she let her hands hang down at her sides and bit the corner of her lip as she looked back at him through the mirror. She thought she detected a slight frown cross his face as he stared at her ears, which was certainly not where she expected his eyes to linger.

"Is that what you're wearing?" he asked.

She crinkled her forehead in confusion over his reaction. "Is there something wrong with this?"

"No. It's fine," he mumbled as he retrieved the dress uniform from the bed where it was laid out and moved toward the bathroom to change. "The car will be here in a half an hour," he threw out as the door closed behind him.

Sam stood there for a few more seconds at a loss. He had never behaved like that before.

"That's it," Sam thought with annoyance. She yanked on the zipper, pulled the dress off and dashed it into a heap on the floor. She dove into her closet again determined to wear something that would remind General Jack O'Neill just who he was dealing with.

When Jack came down the stairs Sam was ready and waiting for him. He was once again on the phone but he quickly ended the conversation as she came into his line of sight and placed the cell in the inside pocket of his jacket. Sam was outfitted smartly in a neatly pressed dress uniform, a plethora of variegated ribbons on her chest and silver eagles gleaming on her shoulders. His eyes narrowed at her appearance and his mouth opened slightly, but he wisely refrained from making any comment on her attire. They both donned overcoat and cover and he held the door for her, lightly placing his hand on the small of her back as she exited the house and moved toward the waiting black sedan.

o-O-o

The reception was at the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. It was an opulent building with a long and storied history in Capitol society. Sam and Jack quickly made their way across the marbled lobby and down to the main promenade where they checked their outerwear and turned into the elegant East Room. From the placards outside the banquet hall, Sam ascertained that this was some kind of a CIA awards function. Although she saw several recognizable faces from the Pentagon and the Hill, she couldn't for the life of her understand why Jack felt he needed to be there. At least part of Sam's curiosity was soon answered when a stunning redheaded woman wearing an equally stunning, yet still tasteful, red dress came over to greet them.

The last time Sam had come face to face with Kerry Johnson had been permanently engraved into her memory as one of the most mortifying experiences of her life. Sam had been standing in her then CO's backyard stammering out an explanation as to why she had come there uninvited and about to profess her undying love, or at least confess some of her unresolved feelings for him, when Ms. Johnson had exited the house all pink and perky and looking for all the world like she never belonged anywhere else.

Sam plastered on a smile as Kerry came to a stop in front of them. She almost wished for an emergency phone call to give her an excuse for a prompt exit. Maybe Daniel could die again.

"It's good to see you again Colonel Carter. Jack told me you'd be joining us." Kerry gave them both a wide, welcoming smile. It was hard to believe the woman was a spook.

As they made their way to a table at the front of the room Sam ignored the meaningless chatter between Jack and Kerry in favor of observing her surroundings. She noticed that there were numerous officers in uniform scattered about the room, but none of them were women. She refused to be embarrassed about her attire. It was perfectly appropriate she told herself, and she had earned the right to wear it proudly, even if at this moment she did feel a bit dowdy next to the young and oh-so-lovely Ms. Johnson.

When they arrived at the large round table nearest the stage Sam was seated across from Jack as Kerry took a place on his right. She apologized for the arrangement noting that they had done their best to accommodate her last minute inclusion at the dinner. Sam's back was to the podium which would make it awkward for her to give her attention to the speakers when it came time for the presentations but she didn't much care what was being said from that direction. Looking over the program, which was dishearteningly long, Sam noted that one of the main honorees that evening was Kerry as lead investigator on an unspecified task force. It probably had something to do with her work rooting out the goa'uld infiltration of the Trust, and Sam wondered if she was also now working with Jack on some of the Lucian Alliance's recently revealed encroachments onto earth.

Despite the lavish venue, the food was typical banquet fare: rubber chicken, over cooked vegetables, and under seasoned rice. The dessert was equally disappointing, especially as it was neither chocolate nor cake but a fruit tart with a crust so thick Sam was afraid if she tried to cut into it with her delicate dessert fork it would shoot across the room like a blast from a grenade launcher. Since it was slightly too large to consume in one bite; although that hadn't stopped her husband from attempting it she noted, Sam chose to forgo the pastry portion of the meal. At least there was an open bar Sam considered gratefully as she downed another swig from her cocktail and the speechifying droned on.

For Jack's part he spent the evening engaged in conversation with the politicians and dignitaries that wandered by their table, and Sam wondered when Jack had become so comfortable with schmoozing and glad handing. Kerry also held a good deal of his attention throughout evening; that is, when he wasn't excusing himself to answer his phone every fifteen minutes.

When the presentations had finally ended and the main part of the evening seemed to be winding down, Sam was desperately looking forward to Jack making their excuses so they could leave. When he remained riveted to his seat she had to start asking herself what the hell was going on. He hadn't taken a call now for a good thirty minutes, but he still seemed completely preoccupied. Sam wasn't as in the loop as she once had been but she figured if the world was about to be destroyed her phone would likely ring too.

A band began playing soft jazz melodies from one corner of the room where a dance floor was set up. After a time Kerry turned to her and asked if she would mind terribly if she borrowed Jack for a dance. In her dour mood Sam briefly considered zatting Kerry, but fortunately for the unwitting spy Sam had come to dinner completely unarmed.

"Not at all," Sam replied politely. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go freshen up." Sam placed the linen napkin on the table and moved purposely toward the nearest exit without looking at Kerry leading a reluctant Jack onto the dance floor.

Sam refused to cry, no matter how horrible this evening was going or how disappointed she felt about spending her birthday watching her husband flirt with his ex-girlfriend. She knew that assessment was probably unfair, since Jack had not been overly friendly with Kerry; he just hadn't been very attentive to her either.

After spending a few minutes in the ladies room pulling herself together Sam steeled herself like a soldier returning to battle and stepped back out into the opulent hall. Looking into the ballroom she saw Jack lean into Kerry and whisper something in her ear. Both pulled back with a smile and they began to walk off the dance floor. At that moment something in Sam snapped and she whirled around determined to leave that instant. She questioned why she had come home at all and even briefly considered calling up to the Hammond and having them beam her aboard, but she didn't want to have to explain her abrupt change of plans within anyone. So she would just call a cab and go home.

As she waited for the coat check attendant to return with her things she felt Jack come up beside her. "Good, I was hoping you'd be ready to go." He leaned on the counter as he handed the other attendant his ticket.

"You certainly seemed ready to go," she replied with a bitter dose of sarcasm that he didn't quite understand and so chose to ignore.

"I've already called for the car." He helped her into her coat and then assumed his own as they began moving toward the door. She couldn't fathom why Jack was suddenly so anxious to leave.

The ride home felt exceptionally long as Jack fidgeted more than usual and Sam remained abnormally still beside him. Conversation was virtually nonexistent. When the car pulled up to their house at the end of the cul-de-sac Jack jumped out and was already through the door as Sam thanked the driver and made her way up the walkway. She entered and saw Jack picking up a small square package wrapped in brown paper off the credenza that she was certain hadn't been there when they left for the party.

He seemed like he was about to open it, but then he turned and saw her standing near the door. She raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

"I'll be up soon," he said as he moved rapidly toward the study leaving Sam alone in the foyer.

o-O-o

Sam breathed deeply to fight back the press of tears as she completed her mental review of the evening. She yanked the headband off, removed the hair clip she was wearing, and slammed them both in a drawer. She felt Jack's presence before she saw him. He entered the bathroom and placed himself directly behind her, hands in pockets. The room was narrow and while it had been renovated and updated it was not as spacious as most master baths found in more modern homes, but there was still plenty of space for both of them behind the mirror without him crowding her she thought sourly.

Sam saw that he had removed his jacket and tie—no surprise—his collar was open and his shirt pulled free of his trousers. He stood in his stocking feet, so close she could feel his breath stirring her newly freed hair. He pulled something from his pocket and reached around her to place it on the counter beside her hand. She could see a barely suppressed smile dancing in his eyes as she looked down at a small silvery box with a red ribbon tied around it. She lifted her hand and tentatively ran her finger over the smooth surface. He hadn't forgotten her birthday entirely. This thought began to easy some the knots of anxiety that had been twisting up inside her all night.

"Open it," he said. His face shown with anticipation.

She lifted the box and tugged on the ribbon. It came free easily and she set it aside. She pulled open the lid and saw nestled inside on a velvet cushion two dark round metal balls about the size of a standard BB pellet. Earrings. Sam ran a thumb over the smooth surface. Contrary to expectation, it was warm to the touch and she felt a slight tingle as her skin came in contact with the metal.

She looked up at Jack's face in surprise. "These are made of naquadah."

Sam balanced the box in her hand. They were heavier than they appeared so Sam concluded they must be weapons grade.

"I thought they would be alright for you to wear on duty," Jack replied, then added "And you can also use them to blow stuff up in a pinch."

Sam wasn't entirely certain from the way he said that last remark that he was joking and she couldn't hold back a tiny giggle of delight. What other husband, she thought, would buy his wife a birthday present that, more than being valuable and extremely rare, was both stylish and deadly?

"How did you get these?" she enquired.

Jacks hands now rested lightly on her hips and he was leaning into her, his mouth coming into contact with the sensitive spot behind her ears. "Vala knows a guy," he said as he reached up to pull her hair back and resumed his former activities.

Normally Sam found these attentions quite distracting, but she was still a little pissed about his behavior most of the evening and she was also now extremely curious about the hows and wherefores of this most unusual present.

"Jack," she spoke forcefully to get his attention, "why did you act like you had forgotten my birthday and you didn't want me here?"

He pulled back and allowed her to turn and face him directly. "I wanted you here," he protested. "It's just that your present wasn't ready yet and when Walter said you'd be coming home I wanted to try and get it delivered tonight. I couldn't let you settle for something lame like grocery store flowers or pre-packaged birthday cake."

The pieces were starting to fall into place now. "If Vala had to bring these back through the stargate," she inquired, "how did they get from Colorado Springs to Washington D.C. so quickly?"

"Ah yes, well, I may have enlisted Mitchell as a delivery boy."

Sam looked at her husband with disbelief. "You had him take out a 302!"

"One of the few perks of being 'The Man,'" he raised a finger before his face to emphasize his point.

It would have been a hefty operation to arrange for a team to go through the stargate and retrieve the earrings, then get authorization for Cam to take a 302 on a quick jaunt across the country and back. If he had asked the Hammond for transport she would have been notified. Now she understood why he had been fielding urgent calls all evening and why he wanted to stay at the reception longer than expected. He was playing for time. All so he could surprise her with a birthday present when they arrived home. She had to admit, she was rather impressed he was able to pull it off.

He interrupted her musings. "Are you going to try them on?"

Sam turned back to the mirror and in the name of "helping" Jack gathered her hair into one hand and held it away from her neck, which he promptly began to douse with light kisses. His other hand circled her waist and pulled her toward him. As she secured each earring in place Jack covered it with his lips and when his mouth came away her earlobes continued to tingle as the naquadah in the jewelry interacted with naquadah in her blood, making it feel like his kiss lingered there permanently. Given how that made her pulse increase and her breath come more rapidly she wasn't sure she could wear these earrings on duty.

Sam turned in Jack's arms and took his face in both hands. She pulled it toward her began to gently tease his bottom lip with teeth and tongue until he captured her mouth fully and opened it to him. She began to maneuver them rather inelegantly toward the waiting bed, both unwillingly to relinquish any point of contact.

Jack eased Sam onto the bed and balanced his weight above her. He pulled his lips away from her for a moment so they could catch their breath. Jack could see Sam still had something she needed to say and while he didn't really like talking about feelings—especially now—he did his best to bring his desire under control because he knew that whatever was troubling her was important. That didn't, however, stop him from running a hand gently up and down the soft curves of her body while she spoke.

"I may have been just a tiny bit jealous of Kerry tonight," Sam confessed. "She looked so beautiful and so much younger and I thought maybe you weren't happy with our marriage." Sam spilled out in a rush.

Jack seemed a little taken aback by her last statement, but instead of pursuing it directly he asked, "Does this have anything to do with why you decided to change?"

"The way you reacted when you saw me in the dress. It made me think you didn't find me attractive anymore. I was mad and hurt and . . . mad."

Jack gave an exasperated sigh. "Sam, if I would have reacted to that dress the way I wanted to we would never have left the house."

"But . . ." Sam began to ask.

He brushed a finger across her lips and answered before she could even form the question, "Because I had already promised we'd go, and because I couldn't have you here when your present was delivered." He tapped her nose and then gave her a mischievous grin. "I am glad you wore your uniform though."

Sam looked at him with a puzzled expression. She knew a big reason for changing into her uniform was to annoy him.

He could see she didn't understand his reasoning; so he explained. "Every time you wear it I remember the first time you entered the briefing room of the SGC and sassed me." He paused momentarily like he was savoring a fond memory, then he added with conviction, "That was so hot."

She pinched him in the ribs for that exclamation. Then she reached around his torso and began running her fingernails up and down his spine. She knew it was driving him crazy that she was still holding him back. And she wasn't doing it purely for revenge; she still had one more question that needed to be answered.

She pulled herself up by his shoulders, brought her lips to his ear and whispered, "What did you say in Kerry's ear when you were on the dance floor?"

"Oh that." Jack pressed her gently back onto the bed. "I told her that the special present I had ordered for my wife's birthday had just arrived and was waiting at the house. She called me an idiot and told me to go find you. She practically pushed me off the dance floor." He waggled his eyebrows at her in a rather lame attempt at seduction. "Not that I needed any extra encouragement."

"To leave the dance floor or to find me?" She teased.

"I'll always find you," he replied seriously.

She stared intently into his warm brown eyes and could see just how beautiful she was to him and how much he wanted her. Impulsively, Sam reached up and ran her hand along the rough plains of his so familiar face. He turned his head and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist, sending tingles running down her arm. Her lips parted into a dazzling and slightly wicked smile. Oh yeah, she was done talking.

o-O-o

Sam lay propped atop a couple of overstuffed down pillows and watched the moonlight pour in from the bedroom window and spill out in a luminous shaft across the floor, tiny particles glittered and danced in the air like stardust. Jack's gentle snores rose from under the mound of covers as he lay stretched out beside her on his stomach with his face planted across her abdomen and an arm holding her in a loose embrace. Sam could feel his warm breath skitter across her bare skin. She ran her fingers rhythmically through the short grey hairs at the back of his neck and caught herself humming the tune to "Happy birthday."

Sam enjoyed an entirely different kind of humming in her blood that had nothing to do with naquadah and everything to do with how much she loved her husband and how loved she felt in return. She reached up with her free hand and touched one of the earrings she had placed there a few hours before; Jack's special birthday gift to her. It still tingled.

Sam's face took on a blithe smile. It had been a pretty good birthday after all she concluded—even in the absence of cake.


End file.
